Michael Krantz, Bend City Police Chief in Oregon, on 16/10, praised two "heroes" who helped prevent a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School from becoming a greater tragedy. The incident involved a teacher who confronted the shooter and a parent who ultimately stopped the attack.

The shooter, 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, was a former special education student at the school. On the afternoon of 15/10, he entered through the school's security doors carrying a Maverick 88 hunting shotgun. John then entered a special education classroom, where he shot and killed three students and one teacher, and injured two others.

An unnamed teacher immediately intervened. Police Chief Krantz reported that she threw her phone and then engaged in a struggle with John to protect her students. This confrontation was crucial in buying time.

State police and K9 units work on the Silver Rail School campus on 16/10. *Photo: Reuters*

While the teacher and shooter struggled, Kaylub Giamanco, 36, a parent of two students at the school, entered with his handgun. He fired several shots, killing John at the scene.

Police explained that Giamanco had seen John climb over a wall to enter the school and fire at a pickup truck parked inside. This prompted him to retrieve his handgun, which was "legally stored in his vehicle", to intervene.

Police Chief Krantz confirmed that neither Giamanco nor the teacher were injured. Their actions saved many lives, as John still had about 44 rounds of ammunition remaining after firing about 15 shots in the classroom. "We all recognize them as true heroes", Krantz stated.

Kenda Freeman, Giamanco's mother, conveyed her son's wish for privacy and his decision to decline media interviews. The heroic teacher's identity has also not been released.

The shooting has deeply affected residents in the small city of Bend. Police are currently working to determine the suspect's motive and how he obtained the shotgun.

Hoang Lan (According to Reuters, WP)